Focusing device



C. SKLAREK Oct. 28, 1930.

FOCUS ING' DEVICE OriginalFiled Feb. 18l 1924 Patented Oct. 28, 1930 f f UNirsI STATES; PATE-Nr ori-ICE CLIFFORD SKLAREK, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, `.ASSIG'NOR"JTO.INTIERN'ALLIONAL SPOTLIGHT CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS Focusrite DEVICE originai appiieatioii'iefi Februaryn is, isaaseriaiivo. 693,410. Divided and this application sied March as, 1929. seriai No. 350,510.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in focusing devices, andis a division offmycopending application Serial No. 693,410'pled February 18, V1924, on whichy Patent l'l\To.f

' 5 1,711,129 was granted April 30, 1929. v

In spotlights, employed on automobiles and other vehicles it is essential that some adj usting means be employed for light bulbs as'y the filaments of diiferent bulbs are not uniyfornily placed' within the same, due to'inaccuracies in the manufacture andfin order to properly focus the light rays, the bulb,'asa whole, must beproperly positioned with respect to the reflector of the liglit'and adjustments are necessary for dilferent bulbs. l

YOne object ofmy invention is to provide simple and eflicient adjusting vmeans lin the lamp head of a spot light provided with the usual curved reflector, for compensating for irregularities in the Vlocation of the filament of the electric bulb so that the illuminating portion of the filament may be vlocated accurately at the focus of the reflector.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means of the character indicated in the preceding paragraph, including a socket member in'which the lamp bulb is held,;the socket member being` bodily adjustablej with respect to the reilectorby operating means accessible'from the exterior of the lamp head.

Other and further obj ects of they invention will more clearlyappear from the description and claims hereinafter following. -f

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification Figure 1 is a part elevational and part sectional view of a lamp,y illustrating my improvements in connection therewith. And

Figure 2 is a sectional View, on an enlarged scale, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. A

As shown in the drawings, my improvei same may be applied to lights of other types.

The lamp headcomprises a shell 11 of suitable construction, the shellcarrying the usual lens 12 andreiiector `mirror 13, together with the electriclamp bulb proper indicated at 14. The electric lamp bulb is mounted for adjustment vwith respect'to the reflector 13 so as to i obtain proper focusing of the light, this being accomplished by the followingy means:v

The lamp bulb 14 is mounted in an externally-threaded socket member 15 provided with the usual bayonet slots 16 co-acting with theV Vusual pins onthe bulb for holding the same i within the socket. f The socket member 15 has an annular flange at the rear end thereof provided with peripheral teeth, whereby providing an integral spur gear member 17. The

socket 15 is screwed into an internally-threaded sleeve 18 rigidly secured to the reflector 13 in any suitable manner. It will be noted that upon rotation of the sleeve in the proper drection, the same will be screwed inwardly or outwardly with reference to the sleeve 15, thereby adjusting the lamp bulb relatively to the reflector. The spurgear 17 meshes with i an elongated spurgear 19 fixed to a short shaft 2O journaled in a sleeve 21rigidly secured withinr an opening in the rear wallof the shell 11. The shaft 2O is provided with an integral, slotted screw head 22 for rotating the same. Upon rotation of the shaft 2O by means of a screw driver, the Vgear 17 will be rotated throughthe gear 19, effecting rotation ofthe socketl, screwing the same inwardly or outwardly of the sleeve 18, thereby eecting adjustment of the lamp bulb.

A block of insulating `material 23 is riveted totherear wall of the head, carrying a Contact spring member 24 secured thereon byv screws or any"v other suitable means. The free endL of the spring 24 is reversely bent as indicated at 25 and'has its free endV bearing on the contact point kof the lamp bulb 14. The opposite end of the spring 24 is electrically connected to the conductor 26 leading to the source of electric current. The bowed arm of the spring 24 which` yieldingly bears on the f end of ythe bulb maintains electric contact therewith while the sameis adjusted inwardf ly and outwardly and also holds the pins on the bulb in 'yielding engagement with the shortends of the bayonet slots ofthe socket t'im 15. The bulb is grounded on the lamp head Vand the circuit is thus completed.

In adjusting the lamp bulb with respect to the reflector to bring the iilanient of they bulb to the focal center ot the reflector, the shaft 20 is rotated by means of a tool such as a screw driver, thereby rotating thc gear 19 which meshes with the gear 17, thus rotating the socket member 15. Due to the screw threaded engagement between the socket 15 and the sleeve 18, the former will be adjusted with respect to the sleeve, either iiiwardly orontwardly dependingnpon the direction of ret-ation of the shaft 22. As the lamp bulb is carried directly by the socket, the same will be adjusted therewith and may be brought to the proper focus with respect to the refiectoim During the adjustment of the socket 15, the contact spring Q4 will at all times engage the inner end of vthe bulb meinber and exert a yielding pressure thereon, thus maintaining the contact and holding the pins seated inthe bayonet slots of the socket. In this connection, it is pointed ont that the gear 19 is elongated so as to accommodate the movement of trie gear 17 lengthwise thereof and maintain the meshing engagement of the 'teeth of these gears in all positions of adjustment of the socket.

'While I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferred manner ot carrying out the invention, the same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes and modications to come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:`

1. In a spot-light, the combination with a housing having a reflector mounted therein; of a rotatable lamp socket having a screwthreaded connection with the refiector, said socket supporting alanip bulb;y and operating means for adjusting said socket lengthwise of, inwardly and outwardly with respect j -have hereunto subscribed my name this 25th to the reflector including a rota-table shaft journaled in the housing to one side oit the socket, said shaft having means thereon disposed exteriorly of the housingfor effectingy rotation of the same and said sha-tt and socket having cooperating gear members thereon for effecting rotation of the socket upon said shaft being rotated, said gear ineinber of the socket traveling therewith alid A traveling therewith,

element, said driving means of the socket said interengaging driving means being iii operative engagement in all positions of longitudinal travel of said socket during relative adjustment of the socket and sleeve.

3. In a spotlight, the combination with a shell; of a relectinor mirror within the shell; a. sleeve fixed to the mirror and a` second sleeve screw threaded into said first named sleeve and forming a socket member for an electric light bulb, said last named sleeve having an annular flange provided with gear teeth; and a manually actuated rotary pinion engaging 'with said gear teeth to adjust said second named sleeve with respect to the first named sleeve, the teeth of said pinion being elongated to permit relative longitudinal movement of the pinion and the second named sleeve Without disengagement of the,H teeth thereof.

4. In a spotlight, the combination with a shell; of a reflect-ing mirror within the shell,

a manually actuated operating shaft having a. part thereof disposed within the shell and an operating portion exterior to the shell; u pinion mounted on said shaft, said pinion .having elongated teeth, and said socket having a gear member formed thereon and meshing with the teeth of the pinion;

and a U-sliaped contact spring member hav ing one arm fixed to said shell and insulated .therefrom and the other ai'ni bearing on the base of said bulb to press the same against the retaining means and maintaining electric' contact with the bulb in all positions oi"y adjustment of the same; and an electrical connection for said contact member.

In witness that I cla-ini the foregoing I day of March 1929.

/ CLIFFORD SKLAREK.

with respect to the other gear member and being constantly opera-tively engaged with the latter during said traveling movement.

2. In a spotlight, the combination with a shell; of a reflector in said shell; an internally threaded sleeve Xed to the reflector; a lamp socket threaded within said sleeve; an electric light bulb mounted in the socket; and means for rotating said socket to cause said socket to travel lengthwise ot' the sleeve to adjust the bulb, said means including a rotary operating element and interengaging rotary driving means on said socket and operating 

